The Grand Secretary has no heir? His concubine gives birth to triplets.

The next morning, the carriage drove into the long street and came to a smooth stop in front of the Grand Secretary's residence.

Xue Lingyi got out of the car with Lüyi's help. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and yawned.

"I'm exhausted from offering incense for days on end, so I won't see anyone today."

The main gate of the house was tightly closed and bolted.

Luyi rummaged through the bottom of the camphor wood box and found some scraps of Hangzhou silk. She took scissors and cut them into strips about the width of a finger. She also brought over half a winnowing basket of dried cassia seeds.

Xue Lingyi sat on the edge of the canopy bed, picked up a thin needle, and folded and sewed a piece of coarse linen cloth in half.

"Hurry up these next two days and finish sewing the base first."

Xue Lingyi lowered her voice, rubbed the needle tip with oil on her temple, and threaded the needle and tied a knot.

"Drape the cassia seeds in your hand, wrap them tightly in a shredded cloth, and then cover them with a layer of soft satin."

"When the pregnancy progresses further, tie it around your waist so that it doesn't feel empty and weak to others when they touch it."

Luyi squatted down beside the footstool, stuffing handfuls of cassia seeds into the cloth bag and pressing them down with her knuckles.

"This servant understands. These artificial bellies come in several sizes, three months', five months', and we must change them gradually."

"It's just a shame for the young lady; her innocent body has to be used as a cover for someone else."

Xue Lingyi lowered her head and sewed the seam tightly, then tied the end of the thread into a knot and bit it off.

"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Shunshun can't protect the flesh and blood in her womb, how can I hold onto this position? Let's get to work."

Outside the small courtyard on the west side, at the corner of the corridor.

Jiang Guo'er had just returned from the main kitchen after ordering her meal, carrying a cup of warm jujube tea in her hand, when she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

A few steps ahead, beside a rockery made of Taihu stones, leaned a figure with a captivatingly graceful posture.

It was Salera, the exotic dancer bestowed upon her by the Crown Prince.

The woman was wearing a short, narrow-sleeved shirt with several gold chains wrapped around her forearms, revealing a dazzlingly fair and slender waist.

Hearing the noise, she slowly turned her head.

He didn't speak or bow.

Salera stared intently at Jiang Guo'er's face.

To be precise, I was staring into her eyes.

There was no jealousy or resentment typical of women vying for favor in his gaze, nor was there a trace of flattery or ingratiation.

Yet it exudes an indescribable eeriness.

It's like... a skilled butcher examining a piece of good meat on a cutting board, pondering where to make the most exquisite cut.

This is the third time today.

Jiang Guo'er felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and her scalp tingle under her gaze.

She suppressed her discomfort, forced a flawless smile, nodded slightly, walked around the artificial hill, and hurried back to her small side room.

He went inside, bolted the door, leaned against the door panel, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Jiang Guo'er walked to the washbasin stand, wrung out a damp cloth to wipe her hands, and then walked to the inside of the canopy bed, taking out a small silk doll from her purse.

She pinched the doll's round little belly and rubbed it a couple of times in an annoyed manner.

"Tell me, what's wrong with that Persian cat that the Crown Prince sent over?"

Jiang Guo'er rolled her eyes and tapped the doll's brow with her fingertip.

"You do nothing productive all day long! Instead of dancing or serving the Prime Minister, what are you doing here blocking my way?"

"She didn't say a word, just stared into my eyes! That look... did she think my eyes looked like some rare bead that she wanted to gouge out and eat?"

Still not satisfied with her complaints, she took out a small wooden comb and carefully combed the doll's shiny black hair.

"Aren't you a troublemaker, attracting these weirdos? First there was that crazy Tan Yu, and now this foreign woman spouting gibberish..."

She combed her hair twice, then held the doll up to her face and touched nose to nose with it.

"What do you suggest I do? If she were a woman from the Central Plains, I could at least get some information out of her."

"But I can't understand a single word she says! I don't even know where to begin to find out what's going on."

At the same time, inside the Pei residence's study.

Pei Yan was looking through the official gazettes sent from Guangdong and Guangxi.

I could clearly hear the barrage of complaints in my mind.

He slightly bent his fingers and pressed them against his lips, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

Pei Yan's shoulders trembled slightly as he called out to the window, "Xiao San."

A dark shadow fell silently from the beam.

"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on that woman from Hu?" Pei Yan's voice was extremely calm.

"Who has she been in contact with recently? Has anyone given her any messages?"

Xiao San replied, "There's nothing unusual. Cui Ping, who cleans the toilets in the backyard, is very honest and hasn't had any contact with me. It's just that... that woman Hu fed a few old doves."

"A turtledove?" Pei Yan frowned. "Keep an eye on them, but don't alert them."

Two days later, Granny Qin, accompanied by two maids, went from courtyard to courtyard distributing the monthly allowance.

Jiang Guo'er, carrying a plate of osmanthus and walnut pastries, greeted them with a smile.

She casually slipped the plate of pastries, along with two silver coins, into Granny Qin's hand and began chatting warmly with her.

In just a few words, Jiang Guo'er managed to extract information from him.

Besides practicing dance in the courtyard, Salera has spent the rest of her time wandering around the mansion these past few days.

And each time she went out, she took the same route that Jiang Guo'er always took to get to the kitchen and embroidery room.

This wasn't a chance encounter; we were staking out her!

Jiang Guo'er sneered inwardly.

No matter what kind of person you are, if you're going to cause trouble, I'll strike first and see who can influence you more effectively through your pillow talk!

As night falls, the glass lamps are lit.

When Pei Yan stepped into the west wing, he was greeted by the sweet fragrance of magnolia blossoms outside the courtyard wall.

Jiang Guo'er immediately stepped forward and naturally untied the jade belt around his waist, removed the outer armor, and dressed him in a lake-blue casual robe.

As she moved, she sighed seemingly unintentionally.

"My lord, there is something I am not sure if I should say."

Pei Yan lowered his long eyelashes to look at the top of her fluffy hair, and asked knowingly, "What is it?"

Jiang Guo'er then embellished Shalaila's strange behavior over the past two days, and finally pouted in grievance.

"It's not that I'm jealous, it's just that I find her behavior really strange."

"You keep staring at me, it's creepy... Master, can you please do something about it?"

Pei Yan sat down on the daybed, pulled her in front of him, and pinched her small, round chin.

"What's so difficult about that?"

He drew out the words, his tone revealing a mischievous and playful edge.

"Since she's acting strangely, I'll stay in her room tonight. I'll personally use my charm to get the truth out of her in bed, thus solving this major problem for you. What do you say?"

He said this intentionally to tease her and see if she would get jealous and get angry.

Jiang Guo'er's rational mind immediately tightened, and she respectfully replied, "It would be best if you could find out the truth, Master."

But as soon as the words left his mouth, it felt like something was blocking his throat.

She was just over three months pregnant when she felt her emotions becoming increasingly difficult to control.

My eyes are so easily moved that they're like a leaky ladle; I can even cry from the smell of flowers.

Hearing him say that he was going to stay overnight in another woman's room, an indescribable sense of grievance and anger surged to the top of my head.

She grabbed Pei Yan's wide robe sleeve.

"you……"

Jiang Guo'er's eyes instantly turned red, and tears welled up in them.

She bit her lower lip desperately, trying to hold back her tears, but they wouldn't listen to her and fell onto the back of her hand, burning hot.

The truest voice from the bottom of his heart resounded deafeningly in Pei Yan's mind.

He dares to go! If he actually dares to touch that Persian cat, I'll never speak to him again!